Method and apparatus for governing flow lines



Jan-n.7, 1936. w. E. LEIBING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING FLOW LINES Filed March 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT orr cs METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR William E. Leibing, Sausalito, Leibing Automotive Devices,

Calif asaignor Incorporated, San

Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application March 6,

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for governing the rate or quantity of fluid flow through a conduit. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a method and apparatus designed for use in connection with the intake manifold of a combustion engine for the purpose of automatically-preventing the latter from operating above a predetermined maximum speedand is intended as an improvement over the apparatus and methods disclosed in application Serial Number 614,533, filed May 31,

Still more specifically, this invention relates to flow governing in response tofiuid velocities,

aided by pressure differentials if desired; and the preferred embodiment is of the throttling valve type inserted in the conduit conducting the fluid how to be governed.

The disadvantages and objections attendant upon prior devices of this character have been pointed out at length in the above-identified application. In addition to overcoming the disadvantages and difficulties experienced by such prior devices, the present invention has among other objects the provision'of a novel type of throttle valve mounted in a conduit for fluid flow in combination with a governor valve of the a 1933, Serial No. 659,893

such, for example, as the characteristic of a reciprocating engine to draw charges at piston stroke intervals instead of continuously.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel means of preventing fluttering or too rapid operation of a governor valve by the provision on the valve axis of a body having a relatively high moment of inertia, thereby increasing the moment of inertia of the amembly.

A further object of this invention is to provide 10 novel flow-directing means associated with a governing valve in such manner as to concentrate the kinetic energy of a portion of the indrawn fuel effectively upon the governing valve in substantially all positions of the latter.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a novel governor valve assembly, actuated by fluid flow wherein an increasing resistance is offered to the closing of the valve as the fluid flow causes it to close, the force of the 20 fluid flow, operating to close the valve, and the resistance being so distributed as to counter balance one another as regards the pressure on the bearing supporting the valve and reduce the pressure on the bearing to a minimum, thereby 25 increasing its sensitivity and smoothness of operation.

A further object of this invention is to proans-1 relieving guide vane 22 of its function. It will thus be seen that guide vane 22 is designed primarily to directsufificient fuel flow to the power vane 28 to cause it to operate at relatively low speeds when so adjusted. It is to be noted that when throttle valve 2| is suificiently open to direct fuel to power vane 28, guide vane 22 is then disposed at such a slight angle to the fuel flow as to offer substantially no resistance thereto and cause a power loss as would otherwise be the case if a stationary guide member were inserted at an angle across the conduit. However, it is to be understood that in some engines, the loss of power from such a cause would be such a relatively low factor as could be overlooked. Hence, I contemplate a stationary guide vane as coming within the scope of my invention.

Assuming that the governor has been installed on a motor "vehicle and properly adjusted, by means of screw 53, to prevent the engine from exceeding a speed corresponding to 35 miles per hour, the operation is as follows:

As the engine idles and works at low speeds, the governing valve is held fully open by the spring 49, but when the speed increases to a predetermined point and the rate of fuel flow is 7 increased, a force differential is created which causes the governor valve to rotate to closed position against the tension of the spring. Although the force of the spring increases as the governor valve closes due to the increase both in tension and length of lever arm, and the stabilizing vane comes into the path of fuel flow to create a resistance augmenting that of the spring, it has been found that the greater effective area and lever arm of the power vane coupled with the action of the fuel flow is sufficient to overcome these added resistances and a smooth action is obtained through substantially the entire movement from an open to a closed position.

Spring 5|, as shown in Figure 4, is idle during the initial valve movement but is so adjusted that its pin 45 reaches the end of the corresponding slot 58 at about the same time the governor valve reaches its predetermined position of closure. The auxiliary spring 5| at this time comes to the aid of the spring 49 and the two springs combine to yieldingly stop further movement of the valve, the final position of the latter depending upon the predetermined set given to yoke 52. The adjustments of the assembly are preferably so set that movement of the governing valve is not initiated until governed speed is substantially attained and then the valve goes in one quick movement to its closed position.

Due to the special design of the governor valve with its plurality of through openings, the total cross sectional area available for fuel flow is not substantially changed during the greater porrate of fuel flow varies widely even during opera- 7 tion of the engine at normal speeds since it prac-.

tically follows the pistons. Only one piston at a time is drawing mixture, and fuel flow practically stops at dead center of the piston, speeds ,up with the movement of the piston until at maximum speed it exceeds the average speed corresponding to a. much higher R. P. M. and therefore trips the governor, while at bottom dead center the fuel flow stops and the governor reopens.

The present governor assembly, being prac tically frictionless, is capable of extremely rapid oscillations and might have a tendency to follow the movement of the pistons thus creating a 'fiuttering action. This possibility is removed by the employment of the balance wheel which increases the moment of inertia of the governor valve and produces a smooth yet rapid and stabilized movement.

The employment of the knife edges and stirrups, in the connections of the coil springs to the balance wheel, has materially decreased the friction factor of the assembly and increased the sensitivity thereof so much so that the governing range of the assembly has been substantially decreased. For example, it has been found possible to so adjust the governor that the valve will remain open until within A; M. P. H. of the predetermined speed limit.

Obviously, the present governor assembly is possessed of many advantages in that it permits a substantially unrestricted normal fuel flow to the engine at all times except when partially closed to prevent excessive speed. The increase in sensitivity and response particularly during the final phase of the closing operation materially decreases the governing range and allows a full development of power by the engine at all speeds below the governed speed selected.

The novel design of the throttle valve in combination with a governor valve of any type particularly those-of the butterfly type provides a concentration of fuel flow on the portion of the valve operating to effect closing thereof with a decrease .of fuel flow on the remaining portions of the valve, thereby increasing the differential of forces created by the dynamic action of the fuel flow and consequently quickening the response of the governor.

By decreasing the friction factor and increasing the inertia of the assembly, an easier yet smoother governing action is obtained which in-, sures smooth operation and full development of power of engines of all-types at all speeds below that selected as a maximum. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof; The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as merely illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a governor valve and a throttle valve for controlling fuel flow through a conduit, means on said throttle valve for directing a sufficient portion of saidfuel flow to said governor valve to effect operation thereof at relatively restricted throttle openings.

2. In a conduit for fuel flow a governor valve having an actuating portion and a stabilizing portion; a throttle valve for controlling fuel fiow through said conduit; means on said throttle valve for directing fuel flow to the actuating porand a stabilizing vane set at an acute angle relative to each other on opposite sides of the valve pivot, said power vane projecting farther than the stabilizing vane'from the pivoted axis, a throttle valve, and a guide vane arranged to oscillate in said conduit and ensure the direction of fluid flow to said power vane at relatively re stricted throttle openings.

4. In a throttling device for controlling fluid flow through a conduit, a pivoted valve assembly mounted for oscillation within said conduit, said valve assembly having a power vane subjected to the incoming fluid whereby said power vane oscillates the valve structure in response to variations in fluid fiow; and a body arranged to rotate with said valve but having substantially no, tendency to rotate the latter and possessing a relatively I high moment of inertia whereby said oscillation is dampened.

5. In a throttling valve assembly for governing fluid flow through a conduit, a pivoted valve assembly mounted for oscillation within said conduit, said valve assembly comprising a power vane and a stabilizing vane on opposite sides of the valve pivot and a partition to separate saidvanes passing through the plane of said pivot and of approximately the same length as the combined lengths of said two vanes.

6. In a throttling valve assembly for governing fluid flow through a conduit, a pivoted valve assembly mounted for oscillation within said conduit, said valve assembly comprising a power vane and a stabilizing vane on oppositesides of the valve pivot; a throttle valve in said conduit adjacent said valve assembly and arranged so that its path of travel will not overlap those of said vanes; and a bridge positioned in the plane of said pivot and separating said power vane and said stabilizirig-vane, said bridge extending to a point in close proximity to the closer end of said throttle valve when in open position.

'1. In a throttling valve assembly for governing fluid flow through a conduit, a pivoted valve assembly mounted for oscillation within said conduit, said valve assembly comprising a power vane and a stabilizing vane on opposite sides of the valve pivot; a throttle valve in said conduit pivotally mounted adjacent said valve assembly; a

, guide vane spaced from and mounted to rotate ing beneath said throttle valve and said guide vane at partially open throttle positions is directed to the power vane side of said bridge.

8. In combination with means responsive to the.

rate of fluid flow in a conduit for governing said fluid flowthrough said conduit, means adjacent said governing means for controlling the fluid flow toward the latter, and means cooperatively associated with said controlling means for directing a suflicient portion of the fluid flow to said governing means at relatively restricting positions of said controlling means to render the governing means responsive at substantially all rates of fluid flow.

9. In combination with means responsive to the rate of fluid flow through a conduit for governing said fluid flow through said conduit, means adjacent said governing means for insuring sufiicient fluid flow against said governing means to render the latter responsive at substantially all rates of flow, said fluid flow directing means comprising a butterfly valve mounted for oscillation within said conduit and a guide vane spaced'from and mounted to rotate-with said butterfly valve.

10. In combination with means responsive to fluid flow in a conduit for governing said fluid flow, means adjacent said governing means for controlling the fluid flow, means cooperatively associated with said controlling means to render said governing means responsive to fluid flow when said controlling means is set in a relatively restricted position, and means to connect said cooperating means with said controlling means whereby said cooperating means becomes ineffective as said controlling means is set to permit relatively larger flows.

WILLIAM E. LEIBING.

Jan. 7, 1936. A. B. M MAHAN 2,026,949

NEON TUBE SUPPORT Filed Feb. 14, 1954 J/VENME ifiMf/VAHAN I 'unnnnunnn, \1 

